


A house in the trees.

by tinypeckers



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Gen, M/M, RT Baby AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-05
Updated: 2015-03-05
Packaged: 2018-03-16 11:48:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3487166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinypeckers/pseuds/tinypeckers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack likes to build things to keep his kids happy but he might have gone a little overboard.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A house in the trees.

**Author's Note:**

> 2kficteen presents... March? March!
> 
> Please send me prompts at either tinypeckers.tumblr.com or 2kficteen.tumblr.com
> 
>  
> 
> also i know this presents 'march' is really lame but i cannot think of anything cooler.

Jack’s favourite part of their house was the garden. It was big, spacious and perfect for the rambunctious lads to play in. There was a small fruit and vegetable (and roses per Ray’s request) garden tucked neatly into the far right corner of it. It was kept safe from tiny hands and feet by a quaint little picket fence Jack had built himself. Jack liked to build things – especially for his family. He’d enjoyed helping Geoff make his garden safe. He liked to build toys for his children just like the toy train he was watching Michael pull along now. It had originally been Ryan’s but their eldest son wasn’t interested in the wooden trinkets Jack built anymore. No, he was far too preoccupied with his consoles and his phone. Jack didn’t mind. He still had three young and very appreciative toddlers to build for. Jack was watching them now. He was relaxed in one of Geoff’s deck chairs and pondering what he could build next. He hadn’t built much in a while and he was itching to get something done.

 

 

Jack thought of the practical things he could build. Geoff had said that the dining table needed to be fixed for a long time. Jack had put it off because the lads liked how it wobbled and made their food go everywhere. Geoff didn’t appreciate it but Jack found it amusing. Their bed had been broken for a while too but Jack was in no rush to fix that. They’d only break it again. It was as Jack pulled his lower lip between his teeth and looked up that he realised what he’d build. In the centre of their garden was a tree. It was large and sturdy. The tree was perfect for a tree house. The more Jack stared the more he could visualise it. The tree was shaped like a hand. There was an area in the middle that was just the right size for a base before the branches spread out like the fingers of an open palm. Jack smiled. Yes, he was going to build a tree house.

 

 

oOo

 

 

When Jack arrived home from shopping with several large pieces of wood, Geoff knew he was up to something. He stopped his husband in the hallway when Jack thought he could sneak by.

“What’s this, Shannon?” Geoff asked sternly. Jack glared back at him.

“I told you not to call me that.” Jack huffed. Geoff shrugged as he eyed the wood in Jack’s hand.

“What’s all the wood for? Are you finally fixing our bed?” Geoff questioned.

“Sure.” Jack agreed uncertainly. Geoff frowned at him.

“Sure?” Geoff imitated. Jack smiled sweetly.

“Yes, that’s what this wood is for. The bed.” Jack insisted. Geoff folded his arms. Jack’s arms were growing tired now – wood wasn’t light! He just wanted to put the stuff down.

“What are these really for Jack?” Geoff interrogated. Jack sighed in defeat.

“Fine, it’s for a tree house.” Jack confessed.

 

 

Geoff looked about ready to tear Jack a new asshole when somewhere from down below a small voice gushed,

“A tree house?” Michael cried out excitedly. Jack beamed at him.

“Yeah, a tree house.” Jack said confidently. Geoff bore holes through his skull.

“Grabbin, Ray – dad’s building us a house!” Michael alerted his brothers. Gavin came rushing out while Ray plodded behind slowly. Ray scratched at his hair.

“We already got a house.” Ray reminded his brother.

“Silly Ray, this one is made out of trees.” Gavin corrected. Jack shrugged with his head (his arms were otherwise occupied and definitely about to fall out of their sockets now).

“Well, he’s not wrong.” Jack laughed. Geoff sighed heavily while the boys cheered.

“Fine, go on and take the wood outside.” Geoff relented. Jack cheered along with his children.

 

 

oOo

 

 

Jack decided the best way to approach his new project was to hide away in his shed and draw up plans away from the lads so that they wouldn’t disturb him. Unfortunately his sons had a way of finding him. As Jack adjusted the large paper he was using to sketch upon he heard an insistent knocking upon the door. He frowned. Jack had told Geoff and Ryan both that he didn’t want to be disturbed.

“Hello?” Jack asked wearily. He’d just wanted to get started this evening.

“Dad? Ryan said you were making the tree house!” Ray gushed excitedly through the door. Jack smiled. He knew that Ray wasn’t going to leave him alone so he got up to open the door for the lad. The moment it was open wide enough Ray toddled in. He peered curiously around Jack’s shed – he’d never been allowed in before. Jack watched in amusement as Ray climbed upon his stool and stared at the sketch he’d only just begun. “Are you colouring? Where are your crayons?” Ray asked.

 

 

Jack had to laugh at him then. He walked over to the chair and lifted Ray easily off of it. Ray made a noise of protest but he settled when Jack merely placed him upon his lap.

“I’m not colouring, no, I’m drawing up what the tree house will look like.” Jack explained.

“Oh. Will you colour it after?” Ray asked, he was still looking for the crayons.

“If you want to, we can.” Jack hummed and Ray beamed up at him.

“Yeah, I want to colour.” Ray said. “What’s this?” Ray questioned suddenly. His tiny finger slammed against the paper where Jack had began to sketch out the house, “Is it where the car birdies land?”

“The what?” Jack started to chuckle, he’d never heard of that one before.

“Car birdies, you know like-“ Ray held his hands above his head and twirled his finger in circles.

“Do you mean helicopters?” Jack guessed.

 

 

“I think so.” Ray frowned – he liked the name car birdie better.

“No, it’s not a helicopter landing pad.” Jack said sadly.

“Oh,” Ray huffed, “I want one.” He decided and looked up at Jack expectantly.

“You want a helicopter pad?” Jack asked.

“Yup, right… here!” Ray pointed to one of the higher branches.

“All right.” Jack relented and he scribbled a little circle where Ray had pointed to appease the boy. Ray didn’t demand anymore and Jack didn’t ask. Jack started to sketch the rest of the tree house. Ray watched, for a little while, before he started to grow bored and grab at Jack’s pencil. Ray shook his head at the kid and dropped the pencil. Ray squawked in protest as Jack lifted him up and placed him on the floor beside him.

“I wanted to colour.” Ray muttered as his dad looked down at him,

“And you can, go and see papa and he’ll get your colours for you.” Jack told Ray and that alone sent the toddler to the door. Jack let him out and finally he was allowed to draw in peace.

 

 

oOo

 

Children were naturally curious and once Ray had returned from Jack’s forbidden shed, well, Michael just had to explore too. Jack heard the rapping upon the door shortly before Michael yelled,

“Dad, let me in!” The toddler demanded as he hit the door. Jack sighed, he’d barely managed to sketch any additions to the tree house since Ray had left. He placed his pencil down and stood, stretching, before he made to open the door.

“Finally!” Michael huffed as he squeezed his way inside, brushing past Jack’s legs and storming straight into the centre of the shed. Michael frowned, he’d been expecting something glamorous. This place was dusty and smelt of grandma’s.

“Where’s the tree house?” Michael grumbled, Ray had said it was in here.

 

 

“I haven’t started making it yet, Michael – I’m just drawing it.” Jack explained as he gestured to the paper and his stool. Michael frowned.

“You can draw it afters, built it now.” Michael told Jack as he wandered over to the wood Jack had stored in the corner of the shed. Jack scooped him up before he could get there and unlike Ray, Michael didn’t like to be held compliantly. He kicked at Jack as he was held high off the ground and stopped from what he really wanted to do.

“We can’t build it without designing it, Michael.” Jack said to his son as he walked them both over to his stool. Michael wasn’t too content with being placed on his dad’s lap either and he slammed his tiny hands on the table to show his disgust.

“I want to build it now.” Michael protested.

 

 

“But look, see, if we don’t draw it we’ll build it wrong.” Jack tried to reason.

“It’s already wrong – look, no snake.” Michael pointed at the ladder Jack had put there for the boys to climb up and down on.

“What? Of course there’s no snakes, they’ll bite you and make papa cry.” Jack said in amusement.

“Not them snakes – the ones in the playground.” Michael tried to explain.

“You mean the ropes?” Jack tried to think of what Michael could be getting at.

“Those are candy, daddy.” Michael shook his head, “The ones that look like girl’s hair.” Michael described. Ah, Jack thought – ropes it was then.

“Oh those snakes!” Jack said over-dramatically. Michael nodded. Jack hadn’t noticed he’d picked up the pencil until Michael drew a thick, black line down the middle of the ladder.

“We’ll put it right here.” Michael said and Jack cringed at how it looked.

 

 

“Oh, that’s great Michael.” Jack lied, he’d have to move it slightly over but he was sure that the toddler wouldn’t notice.

“Right, good – let’s build it.” Michael said as he wriggled off of Jack’s lap and down onto the ground.

“Do you know what would be better?” Jack questioned excitedly.

“No?” Michael asked as he stood by the wood.

“If you go and ask Papa for the building blocks and then we could build a castle instead.” Jack said. Michael’s face lit up and he nodded, rushing for the door.

“That’d be cool.” Michael agreed and Jack let him out. He watched his son run up the garden and into the house and smiled, shaking his head. Kids were so easy to please. He walked back to his desk with the intention of actually getting some work done.

 

 

oOo

 

Jack didn’t realise he’d left the door open until it swung wide open. The light outside hit Jack straight in the face and he had to wince and cover his eyes because of the intensity of it. He’d been working in only the light from his desk lamp so it was a little bit unnerving to suddenly be basked in a glow. Jack wasn’t sure why he’d been so rudely interrupted until he felt something tug upon the hem of his shirt. He looked down to see Gavin smiling hopefully at him, the thumbnail of the toddler’s other hand being firmly chewed upon.

“How did you get in here?” Jack asked in a playfully grouchy manner. Gavin shrugged and tried to look innocent but the toddler couldn’t help but smile around his thumb.

“You left it open.” Gavin confessed with a small giggle that told Jack he was quite proud of himself for getting in without the adult’s help.

“Let me guess, you’ve got some requests for the tree house too?” Jack teased.

 

 

He expected Gavin to nod and start babbling about what he wanted done and where but the young boy simply stared up at Jack with a slight frown.

“No, I don’t want those.” Gavin said.

“What don’t you want?” Jack questioned, how could the toddler have possibly understood him wrong? Gavin opened his mouth to answer but it seemed he couldn’t find the words.

“The regrets.” Gavin replied and Jack wondered where on earth he’d got that from when he realised that he’d used a word Gavin had probably never heard anymore.

“Ah, requests? They’re things you ask for silly.” Jack explained. Gavin’s face lit up then.

“Oh, yes – so many!” Gavin told Jack excitedly and before Jack could even begin to ask what he had in mind Gavin was pressing his palms into Jack’s thighs to push himself up.

 

 

Jack helped Gavin climb into his lap and watched as Gavin looked over the plans he had already.

“So, buddy – what did you have in mind?” Jack wondered aloud.

“A boat.” Gavin replied shortly.

“A boat? Why, Gavin there’s no water.” Jack tried to tell the boy.

“I want a boat.” Gavin demanded again.

“Gavin, boats go on water – our tree house is going to be in the sky.” Jack explained.

“I want my boat!” Gavin kicked his feet in a mini tantrum. Though Jack knew that Geoff would scold him for giving in, he pressed a gentle kiss into Gavin’s soft hair and murmured reassurances.

“All right, all right – I’ll build you a boat.” Jack gave in and Gavin smiled.

“Thanks dada.” Gavin hummed and, unlike his brothers, it seemed he was content to just sit there and watch. Jack didn’t mind that and he made a note at the side of his page to include a boat.

 

 

oOo

 

 

After months of careful planning, splinters and the impatient wails of toddlers Jack had finally completed the tree house. The base was settled firmly in the middle where the tree began to open up and it was as tall as some of the highest branches. It was made from wood, of course, but painted in rainbow colours to make it look bold and bright against the boring natural hues of their garden. Jack had made the windows, all three, out of plastic and the door opened much like one you’d find in a stable because to Jack it just looked prettier. Jack had made sure it was safe by crafting pretty hand rails with planks running from them to the tree house’s deck. He’d painted them to resemble a piano to make it look that much cooler.

 

 

There was a ladder to climb up and per Michael’s request there was a rope too. The auburn haired toddler was currently attempting to conquer it. He was far too small, Jack knew that, but he was determined. Michael took hold of the rope and held it as tight as he’d held their neighbour’s kitten the first time he’d been allowed to cradle it. Geoff had immediately told him to soften his grip and the kitten wasn’t harmed except maybe psychologically because it now ran across the street when he saw Michael. Geoff didn’t tell him to loosen his grip in this instance and he watched in amusement as Michael’s tiny grip-lacking trainers struggled to stay on either side of the rope. Thankfully before a tantrum could commence and Michael was done with the tree house all together, big brother Ryan came to the rescue and gave the young boy a tiny boost so that he could climb it. He continued to hold Michael until he couldn’t but by then Michael had reached the tree house’s deck and could pull himself up (with Ryan’s strength underneath him, of course.)

 

 

Ray wasn’t playing on the tree house itself. He was sat on the grass beside Jack with the remote control to one of Ryan’s old toy helicopters. Jack had been apprehensive about giving it to him because unlike the ones on the games consoles this one had real (though plastic) blades that could probably cut one of the other people in the family. He’d stood awkwardly nearby as Ray began to play with it and was fully prepared with a first aid kit in his hands. Naturally Ray had struggled with the controls at first but after literally minutes he had the helicopter up in the air and flying better than Ryan had ever had it. Jack was certain that Ray just had a knack for these types of things and briefly wondered if in later years he’d excel in academic things too (a father could dream.) Ray had landed it and taken off of the small, circular pad Jack had stuck to the roof of the tree house more times than Jack could count.

 

 

It had been difficult to put Gavin’s request into the tree house but Jack thought he’d made it work. He’d used one of the lower branches almost like an anchor and tied ropes around it. On the other end of the ropes Jack had attached the small row boat he’d crafted from the left over wood of the tree house. This way the ‘boat’ worked like a seesaw and swung back and forth. It could fit two of the younger boys inside of it (and maybe Ryan by himself if he really wanted to) and had been tested by Jack vigorously to make sure it didn’t fall Gavin enjoyed it a lot but Geoff was sceptical. His arms were tired because ever since Gavin had climbed into it he’d made Geoff push him. He wouldn’t complain, Jack knew he wouldn’t because if Jack was weak when it came to tantrums Geoff was even weaker when it came to their children in general.

 

 

Overall, Jack was proud of his work and he was sure that his boys were too. He knew that this build would bring joy to his children for years to come.


End file.
